Nonprofit Organiz. February, 1983 U.S. Postage Paid College of the Atlantic Bar Harbor, Me. Permit #47 Bar Harbor, ME 04609 COA News Carey Joins Board of Trustees trustee of the Inter-University Program of Case Studies in Public Administration and serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the MITRE Corporation and the Russell Sage Foundation. William D. Carey, Executive Carey and his wife Mary Margaret live in Washington, Officer of the American Associa- D.C. They have five children. tion for the Advancement of Science and publisher of Science and Science '83 magazines, has been elected to Jamaica: A Case Study the Board of Trustees of College of the Atlantic. In Third-World Development Announcing the board's Nine students from Paul Dubois' fall-term Third-World decision last month, COA president Judith Swazey said Development class spent ten days in Jamaica over the she was particularly pleased to December break. Accompanied by Paul and his son welcome Bill Carey into the Jonathan, the students got a first-hand look at some of the college community. "In addition problems studied in the course. In addition to attending to his extensive knowledge of and contact with the scientific seminars and cultural events, they visited schools, a hospital, community, his deep concerns about human values are day care centers, embassies, a rural village, archeological digs and museums on the West Indies island. central to the mission and philosophy of COA," she said. A friend and colleague of Judith's, Carey gave the guest The seminars explored such issues as agricultural address at her inauguration in October. His talk stressed the development, public education and literacy campaigns, importance of infusing science and technology with love and community development and village self-help, international aid compassion. programs, foreign policy, and third-world dependency. Carey holds a B.A. and M.A. in public law and Students interviewed ministry, agency and embassy officials, a government from Columbia University and the M.P.A. in newspaper editor, teachers and village organizers. They also public administration from Harvard University. He has served had the opportunity to meet a wide variety of Jamaican on numerous committees and commissions on science and people. They visited the home of several upper-class technology including the U.S. Steering Committee for the Jamaicans as well as one home where the mother and her six United Nations Conference on Science and Technology for children all sleep in the same bed. Development and the U.S./U.S.S.R. Joint Commission on Scientific and Technological Cooperation. Prior to his position In a report to the college community, Paul said the trip at the American Association for the Advancement of Science, was an "extremely positive educational experience. Before this he served as Assistant Director of the U.S. Bureau of the trip, some of our students had not spent so much Budget and as vice-president in charge of public affairs for Arthur concentrated time in a city at night, in a foreign country, as a D. Little, Inc. racial minority in a black country, or as a member of a group A member of the National Academy of Public Admini- perceived as rich by local standards. Jamaica is a poor, stration, the American Political Science Association, the black, largely Christian third-world country, and it was easy American Society for Public Administration and the Institute for our students to feel they were outsiders in a strange of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, he is a culture and society." "A Sad and Awesome Sight" whales who were still alive when rescuers arrived. One died shortly after being transported to the New England Aquarium COA Team Studies and the other was finally put to sleep after clinging to life for a month in the Mystic Aquarium. Whale Beachings Although the stranding provided some unique oppor- tunities for whale research, Catherine said it was extremely "When we arrived at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife difficult to take part in the autopsies of one whale after Sanctuary on November 17, the whales were already dead," another. "I'm sure that we will learn many helpful things from Catherine Kiorpes, director of COA's Natural History the tissue samples, but I am less sure that we will find out Museum recalls. "It was a sad and awesome sight to see 65 why strandings occur," she said. "Tissue samples are only a lifeless pilot whales huddled together in the marsh just above small part of a very complicated picture." the high tide mark." After the autopsies, most of the pilot whale carcasses Catherine and 15 COA students responded to a call were buried in the marsh mud. Three skeletons were from the New England Marine Mammal Stranding Network salvaged, however, for display and study at the college. The to aid in the autopsies of whales who beached themselves at largest skelton, that of a 22-foot bull, will be used for the the Audubon Sanctuary on Cape Cod last fall. Less than 24 Whales on Wheels marine education program. hours after the strandings were discovered, the COA crew arrived. For the next two days they aided researchers from the New England Aquarium, Guelph Veterinarian College of Ontario and the Mystic Aquarium in the autopsy effort. Students collected tissue samples from the heart, brain, blubber, liver, kidney and muscle of each whale. The samples were marked and sent back to the New England Aquarium and Guelph where they will be examined for evidence of disease or parasites that might explain the stranding. Without such evidence, researchers can only speculate about what causes a whale to beach itself. Some believe that an inner ear parasite affects echolocation. Others theorize that distress signals sent out by one beached whale may attract others to the shore. Still another theory holds that the sloping shore of a beach or tidal marsh such as the one at Wellfleet Sanctuary may give off confusing echolocation signals that mislead whales as to the depth of the water. Groups of pilot whales have beached themselves before in the same Cape Cod area. Once whales are stranded, it is virtually impossible to save them unless rescuers are on hand when the beachings occur. Due to their structure and metabolism, whales cannot shed heat to the environment. Without the cooling effect of the water, they literally cook inside. A futile attempt was made to save two of the Wellfleet Whale stranding at Wellfleet Bay Sanctuary Visiting Faculty Enrich college?" they gave the following answers: -a place that has bones Winter Course Offerings -the last part of school before you get a job -a place where people go to play basketball Two COA trustees and five visiting instructors have -college is not like regular school because it has beds and chairs added their expertise and variety to the winter term -colleges can be any color, even purple curriculum. -college lasts forever until you want to get out Trustees Don Straus and Elizabeth (Tibby) Russell are -you have to wear suits to be a college teacher (ones that team-teaching a course on "World Population and don't tear easily) Demographic Decision-Making" with COA faculty member -at college they cut your hair--it has to be real short Paul Dubois. Don is the past president of the American -its easy to get into college, you just pay some money and Arbitration Association and a consultant for the International you're in Institute of Applied Systems Analysis. Tibby is a retired -you get into college through the front door senior staff scientist from the Jackson Laboratory. -colleges have clocks with bells on top and sometimes just a Sandra Collier, William Ferm and Michael Ross, three bell and sometimes just a clock Ellsworth attorneys, are teaching a course on "Introduction to -college doesn't cost any money because you don't eat lunch the Legal Process." The course explores current issues in law -colleges do have bathrooms and the legal framework used in the resolution of disputes. -colleges cost $7, $8, $9,$50,$20 or $91 BASIC computer programming and numerical analysis is -at college you have to be quiet when they are saying stuff to you being taught by John Letcher of Southwest Harbor. A naval -at the end of college, graduates get black uniforms and hats. architect, John serves as a private consultant to ship builders on the technical aspects of sailing yachts and mathematical hull design. Four members of the Visual Thoughts Dance Company are team-teaching a course in modern dance. Barbara Kates of Bangor, Ann Ross of Old Town, Cid Dyjak of Old Town and Joan Sanchez of Bar Harbor teach dance as an art form. Their class includes instruction in the history, techniques and composition of modern dance. A course on "Chinese Thought from Confucius to Deng Xiaoping" is also being offered by John Visvader of Guilford. John conducts research and writes on international economic and political problems and teaches a course on Chinese philosophy at the University of Colorado. What is a College? A group of kindergarten and first grade students from Gouldsboro Elementary School visited COA recently for a Whale on Whales presentation. When asked "What is a 1983 Bethany Aronow interviewing Marcia Dorr for oralhistory project. Oral History Keeps Spirit Of COA Alive The collective memories of over 40 people involved in internship working for Foxfire and later Salt Magazine, two the founding and early years of College of the Atlantic are oral history publications. She also helped to plan the Pride of now preserved in the COA library through the efforts of Maine Fair held at the college in 1979. The fair brought senior Bethany Aronow, historian Sue Mehrtens and students together crafts, people and traditions from three Maine in an oral history workshop. cultures — the Indian, French and Yankee. The idea for an oral history of the college evolved over a After graduation in June, Bethany would like to teach two-year period, according to Bethany. "I was looking for a oral history techniques to high school students, "Oral history senior project that would teach me more about oral history is an exciting way to learn research and communication techniques and also provide a lasting service to the college skills," she said. "It also serves a different function than community." During the fall term, she organized 12 students written history. Oral history records the unedited perspectives and faculty members to tape and transcribe interviews with of many different people. Consciously or unconsciously, a the faculty, staff, trustees and community members who single author always sorts and edits the material he or she helped launch the college. Each interview lasted about an presents." completed tapes and transcripts will be indexed by subject a training packet outlining oral history techniques. With the matter and added to COA's oral history collection. In aid of this material she hopes others will update the college addition, Bethany plans to put together a 40-page summary history on an ongoing basis. "COA can never recapture its of excerpts from the transcripts. past," she said, "but I think this kind of project helps to keep No newcomer to oral history, Bethany spent her the spirit and purpose of the college alive." COA Students she met on a train. He in turn had heard about COA while traveling as a hobo across the country. (It pays to keep your Optimistic About Future ear to the rail!) The human ecology perspective, interdisciplinary Contrary to feelings expressed by other college-age approach to education, small size, academic freedom and groups, a majority of COA students are optimistic about the quality of faculty and classes are all major factors attracting future of the world and feel that as individuals they can made students to the college. Those who visited the campus during a difference. the application process were impressed by the location, This was one of the viewpoints expressed in a college- friendliness of the students and staff, amount of interaction wide survey conducted during January. Each student was between faculty and students, small class size and the quality invited to meet with a faculty or staff member for a half hour of the classwork. interview on questions ranging from "How did you first hear Despite the multidisciplinary degree focus, students (by a about COA?" to "What do you consider to be the number ratio of 2-1) consider themselves to be concentrating in one one problem facing the world today?" Two-thirds of the particular area. The sciences have the most devotees followed student body responded. The results will be used in an by environmental education, design and public policy. Many upcoming reaccreditation study and to aid in development of students acknowledged, however, that while they consider curriculum and admission strategies. themselves to be concentrating, their transcripts do not The survey showed that COA students are hard to necessarily reflect it. categorize. They tend to be individualistic, flexible, In response to questions about the governance system, a independent and interested in nontraditional learning. They majority of students felt that just the right amount of time is rank the COA faculty as the college's greatest strength, spent making decisions at COA. Several observed that true particularly for their willingness to work with students on a democracy takes a great deal of time. On the other hand, one-to-one basis. The interdisciplinary curriculum, ecological those discouraged with the governance structure complained perspective, and opportunity for designing one's own course of that the time spent is not always productive and is often study are also perceived as important assets. The major misdirected. weaknesses cited are poor scheduling of courses, lack of long- Perhaps as a reflection of the self-governance experience, range planning and lack of curriculum development. many COA students cited inability to communicate, Current students learned about COA in almost as many intolerance of differences and a lack of understanding as the ways as there are students. Many listed college guidebooks, number one problems facing the world in the 1980's. Equally secondary school counselors and college fairs as their first compelling are the nuclear arms race and a lack of spirituality contact with the college. Others heard about COA from and compassion. friends and family or magazine and newspaper articles. One A complete tabulation of the interviews is being prepared student learned of the college from a 60-year-old vagabond and will be available from the admissions office. Briefly copy was made was presented to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts by Mrs. Thorndike on November 24. Judith Swazey addressed the 1983 Maine Bar Association According to Theodore E. Stebbins, Jr., Curator of convention in Portland on January 21. She was a member of American Paintings at the museum, the painting is "one of a four-person panel examining the definition of human life Church's finest works and a particularly good example of the and the concept of "person" from legal, ethical and medical influence of Maine's clear light on the painter." A student and perspectives. While in Portland she was interviewed by friend of Thomas Cole, Church began coming to Maine in MPBN on the subject of medical ethics and her role at COA 1848. He spent much of his time on Mt. Desert Island where for a segment of "Conversations." On January 28 she was he boarded with Cole at the Lynam farm on Schooner Head also a live interview guest of Washington, D.C. radio talk and also in Somesville. show host Fred Fiske. The painting which views the southern flank of Cadillac A report on the Gulf of Maine Whale Sighting Network, and Dorr mountains from Otter Cove displays the brilliant 1978-81 has been published by COA graduate Gregory realism and luminous quality for which the Hudson River Stone and Allied Whale researchers Steve Katona and Judith School of painters was reknown. Stebbins estimates that the Beard. The 24-page report, written as part of Greg's senior painting was completed around 1850. project last spring, contains the results of 2,530 sightings The Thorndike family acquired the Church painting in over the three-year period. Copies can be obtained for $1 1951 shortly after losing their house and possessions in the each from Allied Whale, c/o COA. '47 Bar Harbor fire. "We rebuilt the house and wanted to A committee under the chairmanship of trustee Lawrence find a Hudson River School painting of the Mt. Desert area to Hadley has solicited bids from architectural firms for working hang on the living room wall," Mrs. Thorndike recalls. A drawings for the proposed COA auditorium. Once final friend found the 17" by 24" oil on canvas painting in a selection is made, the committee is hopeful that construction Lexington Avenue gallery in New York City. The list price can begin by early fall. Fund-raising for the project is well was $750. underway with the receipt of a $100,000 challenge grant. During a recent appraisal of her estate, Mrs. Thorndike COA graduate Scott Kraus will be the first speaker in an discovered that the painting had increased considerably in alumni speakers series scheduled to begin during the winter value and felt the picture should be placed in the Boston term. Scott will speak on "What's Wrong With Right museum for security and permanent display. Concerned that Whales" at 7:00 p.m., March 1 in the COA auditorium. the work of art should also be available to the people of Mt. The speaker series will bring an alumnus back to the campus Desert Island, however, she arranged with the museum to each term to lecture and meet with students. have six of the highly accurate replicas made. In addition to The first COA Association Newsletter was mailed to the college, the pictures will be presented to the Wendell association members in January. The newsletter contains Gilley Museum, the Jordan Pond House, as well as the Jesup information on graduates, reports from the COAA Memorial, Northeast Harbor and Southwest Harbor libraries. committees and a copy of the benediction given by Philip The full-size copies were photographed by a room-size Kundhardt '76 at Judith's inauguration in October. Any Polaroid camera constructed at the Boston Museum of Fine member of the association who did not receive a newsletter Arts in a cooperative venture with the Polaroid Corporation. and would like one should contact Carole O'Donnell in the Each replica is made directly from the original and reproduces internship office. every detail of the work including the minute brushstrokes and COA's first graduate, Bill Ginn, has returned to the flock, texture of canvas. in a manner of speaking. Bill has been retained as a part- time consultant by COA's development office. He recently resigned as Director of the Maine Audubon Society to work for the college and devote more time to his sheep farm in Spring Speaker Schedule Pownal Maina Trustees in the news: Lawrence Hadley was appointed March 28: "Annapurna, a Woman's Place, slide lecture interim town manager for the town of Bar Harbor following by Arlene Blum, Himalayan mountaineering the resignation of Ed Ainsworth in early December. A expedition leader. replacement for Ainsworth is expected to be named in early April 5: "Building the Spray," slide lecture by Sue February. C. Eliot Paine has been named Director of the Mehrtens and Ed Davis. Holden Arboretun in Mentor, Ohio. Paine previously served April 12: "East-West Relations," lecture by Philip as the Director of the Garden Center of Greater Cleveland. Kaiser, former ambassador to Hungary. April 19: "Stopping the Nuclear Threat," lecture by Dr. Henry Kendall, founder of the Union of Art Replica To Hang In Turrets Concerned Scientists. May 5: "Scientific Process in Medical Research" An exquisite photographic replica of "Otter Creek, Mt. lecture by Dr. Baruch Blumberg, 1976 winner Desert, Maine," a painting by Hudson River School artist of the Nobel Prize in Medicine. Frederic E. Church will hang permanently in the great hall of May 17: Alumni Speaker (topic to be announced.) Turrets through the generosity of COA trustee, Mrs. R. All lectures will be at 7:30 in the auditorium Amory Thorndike. The original oil painting from which the Frenchman Bay Nominated for NOAA Sanctuary Frenchman Bay is one of nine areas proposed as marine sanctuaries for the North Atlantic region under a program administered by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Frenchman Bay site and another proposed area off the mid-coast of Maine are the only cold water sites under consideration. Five areas will be selected. The sanctuary program was developed in 1972 to provide research data and resource management for special marine areas in the coastal waters of the United States. Public education and public use of the sanctuary areas are also important components of the program. If the Frenchman Bay site is selected, COA could be eligible to receive NOAA funds for marine research in the designated area. The extent and type of research would be detailed in a management plan developed by representatives from the fishing community, local government and scientific research institutions. The proposal will be the subject of a number of Mrs. R. Amory Thorndike with Church painting. upcoming public hearings.